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| (photo courtesy of: www.ontarioliberal.ca) No nick names this time sadly. Minister Rick Bartolucci swapped chairs with Minister James J. Bradley. Before sitting down as Minister for Municipal Affairs Bartolucci was Minister for Community Safety and Correctional Services, yes and pseudo Solicitor General. As such he wrote me to say that he would refuse to answer any correspondence regarding the corruption of the Niagara Regional Police, even after it was the Minister for the Attorney General that instructed me in writing to deal with Minister Bartolucci. Minister Rick is the same as Minister Jim I guess. But that's for another time here we are dealing with Minister Rick Bartolucci wearing the Municipal Affairs hat. |
As Minister for Municipal Affairs, Minister Rick Bartolucci is 'responsible' (I use that term very loosely in relation to any minister of the Dalton McGuinty government) for the Municipal Act and the Municipal Elections Act. Here in St. Catharines we have a had a hell of a situation happen in the last municipal election, not only what is documented on mayorgate.blogspot.com. A candidate who was a resident of Niagara Falls decided to play around with the Municipal Elections Act and nominate himself as a mayoral candidate in St. Catharines. He rented a storage locker to have a local address. Everything about it was strange. Now to read the qualifications for a nominee and to see what had happened could only make one cringe. The local City Clerk and City of St. Catharines' legal eagles said that it was permitted. Shock, oh boy was it ever! More recently the local City Clerk has come under fire and comment for his ability to comprehend the Municipal Elections Act in another mess. This was with candidates getting more than one maximum contribution from the same individual. It looks like the St. Catharines City Clerk told candidates it was O.K. Oops contrary to the Municipal Election Act that he is responsible to enforce. Where does that leave the City of St. Catharines, the City of St. Catharines City Clerk and the whole municipal election legally? But alas, I digress and that should be left for another time.
I wrote Minister Bartolucci explaining the whole mess. All the details were provided. In fact the circumstances should demand a new election legally. It has now been proven that the City of St. Catharines City Clerk should not be allowed to interpret the Municipal Act or the Municipal Elections Act under any circumstances. Minister Bartolucci replied to me that it is up to me to enforce the Municipal Elections Act!!! Oh Dalton McGuinty why do you employ these dudes? It appears that the Minister for Municipal Affairs, Minister Rick Bartolucci isn't responsible to enforce the Municipal Act or the Municipal Elections Act, heck it is up to a citizen of Ontario to do so! So when an election is fixed or manipulated it is not the provincial government who is responsible but the darn citizens. At least that's according to the Dalton McGuinty handy-dandy guide book on how its ministers do their jobs. The law doesn't matter! The legislation doesn't matter! What the hell does then?
So Minister Rick Bartolucci is another clone of the Pontius Pilate school of politics. It wasn't enough that the election was made a farce by an individual, or that my hometown was made the butt end of a very bad joke. It was left up to me to enforce the law, the legislation. If this happened with our neighbours down south of the border with their hometown pride, do you think an elected senator would be able to walk away from it that easy? Not on your life, it doesn't matter whether it is a large city such as N.Y., N.Y. (named twice because it's so nice) or a small township down south. Pride in your hometown is no less. We in Canada, well we're more quiet I guess, after all we have free medical (though don't talk about that here in Niagara with the death toll in hospitals standing at 37, as of 04.08.11). Sorry Premier McGuinty I brought that up it shows your absolute care for the people of this province.
So Minister Rick Bartolucci let all that slide. Premier Dalton McGuinty of course simply wrote again and passed-the-buck to his minister. After all he is the premier why should he be held responsible for anything. We are a part of a proud province and part of a proud country yet democracy was trounced. An election manipulated and fixed, impossible one would think in such a country as Canada. The minister responsible for the enforcement of legislation that ensures our rights, protects our democratic rights, sits back and does nothing! Oh he does shift the responsibility of the enforcement onto the shoulders of an ordinary citizen.
Minister Rick Bartolucci, the documentation is posted here. What have you got to say about it? Anything at all? I don't think you can, can you. Although I would be happy to ask you in public all of this.
DESCRIPTION OF EVIDENCE
This letter came from your office dated May 16, 2008. You will say you did not sign it but heck try and claim you didn't know I have several prior with your signature. I had brought to your attention as the Solicitor General (Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services) of Ontario issues of police corruption. Direct evidence to the Solicitor General of Ontario responsible for the enforcement of the Police Services Act of Ontario. The Minister of the Attorney General in fact advised I contact you. Your words or that of the one who got to sign this, “there is nothing more that the ministry can do for you...” And followed by, “No further correspondence will be forthcoming from this ministry on these or similarly related matters.” You were provided with the voices of Niagara Police Service officers threatening my wife and I.
In case you want to argue when you were Solicitor General of Ontario.
Now lets pop over to September 2010. In front of you was the documentation that proved the Municipal Elections Act 1996 was breached here in St. Catharines. A candidate decided to turn the election for mayor of my City of St. Catharines into a farce. He was a resident of Niagara Falls and rented a storage locker. Have you read the Municipal Elections Act? Hell you could not of! Even if you had you would not give a damn Minister Bartolucci! You an elected member of our provincial government said that enforcement of the Municipal Elections Act was up to a citizen. What the hell are you wearing that ministerial title?
The municipal elections in St. Catharines of 2010 were a farce of breaches of the Municipal Elections Act, and not one breach but several. Again your response was that you are not responsible for anything other than a fat ego and our money as a pay cheque. That is the norm for a McGuinty minister and a McGuinty government.
Doesn't end there Minister Bartolucci, here is my letter to you, oh I sent one to the boss Dalton as well. I have no response nor do I expect one in particular with the 'cc' at the bottom.
The corrupt acts, breaches of the Municipal Act, a City Clerk completely unaware of any interruption of the Municipal Elections Act has turned St. Catharines into nothing more than a banana republic. You are in the position of a Provinical Government Minister! What the hell are you there for? Can you answer anything Minister Bartolucci? Anything at all? It would take some courage. I don't even expect a reply in writing let alone an answer on anything here!
Wow, I did get a response and what a response. I wrote to you and mailed it immediately July 21st, look at your response you say that one has only 15 days to appeal a decision by the Compliance Audit Committee. Now gaze upon the date of your letter! Milk past due date we all know stinks as all hell very hard to swallow, your response has the odour and taste of last year's milk left out of the fridge. Once again a Minister with responsibilities not only steps aside but turns it into a farce either through arrogance or simply stupidity.
Facebook face-off?
Minister Bartolucci posted on his Facebook Wall: “I'm running on my record b/c together with community partners, we have achieved a great deal.” Really? You are running on your record? Then answer the questions raised on your page of this blog!
You and your record is identical to all the Liberal ministers and its leader, Premier McGuinty. According to you no municipality has to be accountable for anything they do. Breach of the Municipal Act, breach of the Municipal Elections Act, yet as Minister for Municipal Affairs you are responsible for the enforcement of both. A mayor who breached his oath of office was not anything you were responsible for. Breaches of campaign funding regulations, in fact accepting illegal campaign funds was not anything you are responsible for. Premier McGuinty accused Mr. Hudak that he will turn over responsibility and costs to municipalities in turn forcing our taxes up at municipal levels. Heck minister after minister of the Liberal government has said how they only give powers to municipalities but have no power over them. Soon we will all need individual passports from our municipalities to identify who has responsibility over us.
On Facebook I raised a question for you, or at least pointed out a set of circumstances. You replied with the usual nonsense. I responded (a copy of this exchange posted here) but you declined to follow up. As any minister of the McGuinty government who I have questioned only walk away in silence. Heck you made a little attempt and then balked. Minsiter Takhar has always stayed silent. Minister Bradley well what the heck can he say. And Minister Wilkinson will rest on past achievements and ignore the facts. Not one of you have the damned courage to answer the facts provided against you. Instead we hear your prepared speeches and phony promises.
Rick Bartolucci http://tinyurl.com/3jnwsbn I am running on my record b/c together with community partners, we have achieved a great deal! Anyone needed a ride to advanced polls or other info please contact my campaign office at 705 -674-RICK (7425)Bartolucci only local candidate with the experience, proven track record and successful community partnership to get the job doneSudbur
